Thanks to new technology, customers travelling with Sir Richard Branson’s firm will be able to call, text and email on their way to holiday destinations in the US, the Caribbean, Dubai, Australia and Africa.

The service – which will be up and running once a special system is installed to support the phones – will be provided on all of Virgin’s flights from Gatwick.

It is the first time calls have been allowed on outbound journeys from a major British airport.